Page 157 of Vampires of Eden

She beams. “You smell like Puercoespííín.”

My palm flies up to my face as I whine. “Iknow.”

“¡Dios mío! How many times has he fed from you for it to be this strong? It’s only been a day since I saw you last.”

Dropping my hand, I stagger over to the table and plop down in the chair beside her. “Twice—because I keep egging him on.”Dazed, I touch my fingertips to my neck where he’s fed. Where the echo of his deeply affectionate bite and actions tingle warmly against my skin and through my veins.

He told me that he was “novice” before we slept together—but my God does this man learn fast.

“It feels so liberating when he does it,” I confess. “Like he turns me into a pile of melted, glittery goo.”

“Goo is good. Embrace the goo!”

“I’ve never felt anything like this.”

Leoni sighs, bringing her palms up to cup her face as she leans on her elbows. “Aww Puercoespín is pouring all of his pure and wholesome love into you. It’s wonderful, Danny. Look at how far you’ve come?”

“Hmm,” I sigh, closing my eyes. When we both submit to it, this harmony between us is beautiful. Enchanting and real. Concrete in a way that’s comforting to my nature like never before.

At the edges, I feel the distinct pull of his aura, body and blood.

The yearning.

The addiction.

I haven’t fed from him, but the need to have him is hot and prickly at the base of my spine. A craving that only Alexander can quench and soothe. I know that he won’t refuse or abandon me. I know that what we have is genuine and mutual. Even still, this constant itch within my body is unsettling.

This is the cost of being with a purebred vampire. The sublimely good with the potentially bad. Potentially horrific. It’s only bad if the inherent needs aren’t met. If the blood and vampiric energy is given freely, but then cruelly extracted.

“Everyone at his estate was… not just tolerant, Leoni, butkindto me,” I add, staring into space with my fingers still tenderly pressed to my neck. As if I can summon him from the visceral and sensual memory of his fangs sinking into my flesh. “Being in his house was the opposite of being in your family’s estate. The staff,and eventually, Josefina herself, treated me like a disease, you know? As if I was vile. This morning, Alexander’s father was genuinely nice.”

“Tío Ansväd is so chill—he was the only one of the adults to actually play and interact with us growing up. He’d read to us sometimes and take us to shows at the Royal Opera. Puercoespín is lucky to have both him and Raphael. Without them, he probably would have turned out differently, I think. Given his station in society.”

“Agreed.” I can definitely see how those two have helped to mold him into the sensitive vampire that he is now. “Lord Kendrick asked me to come to the opera house because he has a piece of music that he wants me to review… and potentially play. In a concerto.” Even saying the words feels strange, as if I’m speaking a foreign language. Or at least one I haven’t used in a very long time.

Leoni’s eyes widen. “Danny.” She says my name so that it’s weighted with meaning.

I sigh. “I know. How have I gotten myself into this situation?”

“It’s fate,” she chirps. “You being with Alexander and also having an opportunity to play at the Royal Eden Opera House—as a first-gen vampire? You’re smashing these antiquated societal barriers that you hate. How many conversations have we had about this? The desperate need for change. For something to finallygive so that these walls come tumbling down and we can rebuild better communities.”

I lift a hand to rub the back of my neck because I feel a headache approaching. “Yes, I know, but… I never said that it should bemedoing the smashing and rebuilding. Ideally, it would be someone like you and all your covert networking in the villages. I’d happily cheer you on from the sidelines. Making you sandwiches and keeping you fed. That kind of thing.”

Having a public relationship with Alexander and headlining a concerto at the Eden Royal Opera is… alotof attention being centered on me.

Once upon a time, I was young, arrogant and would have welcomed this kind of flashy opportunity.

Now?

I don’t know if I’m tough enough to withstand the inevitable onslaught of both cheers and jeers. High highs and crippling lows. I’m so accustomed to my neutral, uneventful life hidden within the safety of the vineyard.

Can I handle all of this?

“It all works together for the greater good,” Leoni reasons, folding her arms. “Me, being purebred and building these relationships and trust within the ranked-vampire community. Alexander supporting the markets, the safe house and vineyard, and openly choosing you as a partner. You, being bold and stepping into a realm of society that has traditionally rejected ‘outsiders.’ It’s the perfect storm and you’re an important piece of the puzzle, cariño. Can’t you see it?”

The headache is more pronounced so I close my eyes and massage my neck harder. “I see it. I hear you, but at some point, society is going to lash out against me and I’m worried about how hard of a hit it’s going to be, and for how long.”

She waves a hand. “Don’t think about it like that. Whatever it is, you have a support system with me, Puercoespín, Roland and Kat. We’ll handle it together. Are you going to accept Tío Ansväd’s offer? At least go take a look at the music?”